As they walked inside, Shawn Young noticed that the villa was surrounded by lush trees, their thick crowns swaying in the night breeze. The sky had already grown dark, but the entire villa was brilliantly lit, with sparkling lights lining the paths, making the garden-like mansion look absolutely stunning—almost dreamlike. But Shawn soon noticed something strange: most of the tree branches were leaning away from the central villa, as if desperately trying to avoid something.
Suddenly, Shawn Young recalled something from the Codex of Ascension about feng shui and residential layouts—'Trees facing are auspicious, trees backing are ominous.' This meant that the villa itself harbored some terrifying hidden danger, or perhaps something sinister was lurking inside, causing these naturally sensitive plants to want to escape!
After passing the massive fountain and the vibrant central flowerbed, Shawn's eyes were drawn to a fiery red sight—a large cluster of Blood Lotus Azaleas, surrounded by lush evergreens. The blossoms twisted and bloomed in a dazzling display, like a group of young, beautiful girls swirling their red skirts—absolutely captivating.
Shawn couldn't help but stop in his tracks, gazing at the fiery red azalea bed. For a moment, he felt dazed, as if he were standing atop a vast sea of blood. Countless black vines surged from the depths like a demon's gaping maw, clawing and writhing, flooding toward him, entangling his limbs, trying to drag him down into the bloody abyss!
"Ah—this is the Blood Lotus Azalea! A truly ominous thing! There's something weird buried beneath this flowerbed!" Shawn suddenly remembered the name of this azalea and snapped out of his hallucination!
In feng shui, it's generally considered bad luck to plant azaleas inside a residence, because of the saying 'The azalea cries blood'—a sign of a cursed house. Plus, azalea petals are toxic and can make people feel depressed when their scent fills the air. The Blood Lotus Azalea is an even rarer and more ominous variant; while most azaleas bloom in spring, only this kind can bloom in the height of summer. For it to bloom so vibrantly here is especially eerie!
Still, Shawn didn't say any of this directly to Yvonne Hu. From the moment he stepped through the gate, he sensed a pair of demonic eyes watching their every move, so he tried to act casual and, pretending to admire the flowerbed, exclaimed, "Wow! These flowers are so vibrant! Really beautiful—"
As Shawn spoke, he winked at Yvonne Hu. Yvonne immediately caught on and deliberately said, "Oh! This is a rare variety my second uncle brought back from Japan. Pretty, right?"
"Yeah, it's beautiful—really nice!" Shawn replied, then, taking the somewhat bewildered Lilian Grace by the hand, followed Yvonne Hu to the front door of the villa.
Stepping through the Sandalwood Main Door, Yvonne Hu pushed it open to reveal a spacious hall. The lavish decor dazzled Shawn Young: glossy marble floors, a gorgeous crystal chandelier casting enchanting light, genuine Italian leather sofas, elegant oil paintings, and a spiral staircase carpeted in deep purple—all showcasing the owner's extraordinary taste and status.
"My mom's resting in her room upstairs. Wait here for me, I'll go get her," Yvonne Hu said as soon as they entered.
"Uh—Yvonne, hold on a second. Come here, I've got something to remind you," Shawn Young quickly called out to her.
"Oh? What is it?" Yvonne leaned in and asked.
"Is your villa safe? Is there anyone else here?" Shawn Young asked.
"Oh, it's pretty safe. There are cameras and CCTV at every entrance, all controlled by me and my mom. We have private security staff, workers, a housekeeper, and a driver for the villa complex. But unless my mom or I give permission, none of them can enter the main guest suite," Yvonne replied after thinking for a moment.
"That's good. Now, close the main door right away and don't let anyone in. When you go get your mom, ask her to turn off the CCTV on this side too. Tell her what to watch out for, then invite her down. I'll explain everything to her," Shawn Young instructed carefully.
"Got it. I'll go upstairs now—" Yvonne nodded and quickly ran up the stairs. Shawn Young and Lilian Grace sat on the leather sofa in the hall, waiting. But even as Shawn sat, his eyes scanned the room, searching for anything unusual hidden nearby.
"Shawn, did you notice anything strange as we walked in?" Lilian Grace scooted closer, nervously clutching Shawn's arm. She looked a little scared, but there was also a weird sense of excitement and anticipation—she trusted that Shawn could handle whatever came their way.
"Yeah, I saw something—I'll tell them when her mom comes down. Uh—don't worry—" Shawn felt Lilian's soft body pressing against him, and the scent of her skin, fresh and alluring, made his heart flutter. He sneaked a sideways glance—damn! Lilian was wearing a skimpy, low-cut dress, and from this angle, he could see her two playful, well-raised 'bunnies' bouncing on his arm with every breath—absolutely irresistible!
Shawn's sneaky glance at Lilian Grace's chest instantly eased his nerves. Who knew beauty could be so useful? Shawn hadn't expected that at all.
Lilian seemed to sense Shawn's 'heated' gaze on her chest. Her cheeks quickly blossomed into a rosy blush, but for some reason today, she pretended not to notice and even leaned forward a bit—making it even easier for Shawn to admire.
Shawn's mind started to wander, and a wave of heat rose from his lower belly. With Tang Yuanyuan away these days, Shawn hadn't 'had any meat' in a while. The sight of the campus queen's tender curves made him swallow hard—he couldn't help but imagine pressing Lilian down on the sofa and letting her experience the true meaning of life!
Just then, footsteps echoed from the staircase. Lilian and Shawn, lost in their own thoughts, instantly sat upright as if shocked by electricity. Lilian tidied her slightly messy hair, while Shawn squeezed his legs together to hide his unruly 'weapon,' sitting up straight and trying to look respectable.
Soon, two people came down the stairs—Shawn looked up and his eyes nearly popped out. He saw, for the first time in his life, a truly stunning mature beauty. Yvonne Hu was supporting a gorgeous woman as they descended. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, her long black hair loosely swept back, revealing a graceful, swan-like neck, and her eyes—shaped like phoenixes—were mesmerizing and seductive.
She wore a loose black home outfit, but it couldn't hide her perfect curves. Her body was curvy and her skin was so fair and delicate, she looked like a young girl, yet she exuded a mature woman's unique charm—completely irresistible! She was the epitome of a ripe beauty!
With every step she took, Shawn's heart skipped a beat—because he spotted another pair of dazzling, bouncing 'headlights' moving in perfect rhythm! And the owner of these headlights was none other than the gorgeous mature woman.
Yvonne Hu supported the beautiful woman as they walked over. Lilian Grace stood up to greet them, asking with concern, "Aunt Fang, is your knee okay?"
"Oh, I took a fall and scraped my knee—fractured it, actually. The doctor checked it, so a bit of rest and I'll be fine. Uh—Lilian, is this your boyfriend?" the beautiful woman asked Lilian directly.
"Oh! No, he's not—he's just a good friend. He came today especially to help you," Lilian replied, her pretty face flushing with embarrassment.
The beautiful woman just smiled and didn't press further. With Yvonne Hu's support, she walked over to Shawn Young. Her beautiful phoenix eyes gazed at Shawn, as if peering deep into his soul, making him feel a bit flustered and guilty.
Yvonne Hu introduced them, "Mom, this is Shawn Young, also a student at Southern University. Shawn, this is my mom."
"Hello, Shawn. I'm Vivian Fang. Thank you for coming to help us ward off disaster—" Vivian Fang greeted him warmly, extending her hand.
"Oh, Aunt Fang, no need to be so formal! I'm good friends with Yvonne and Lilian—helping each other out is what friends do," Shawn replied, quickly reaching out to shake her hand. He was surprised by how soft and smooth her hand felt, and couldn't help but howl inwardly, "Wow—what a sensation! She's even more stunning than Yvonne! With hands like these, I bet she's super juicy—if only I could get her in bed—wait, calm down! Don't let your wolfish side show!"
Immediately, Shawn tried to put on a serious face and let go of her hand, but just then he suddenly felt something strange coming from Vivian Fang's palm. Instinctively, he grabbed her hand again.